Also, that solution doesn't exactly work as well for men as it does women, unfortunately

I understand. That doesn't always work for me either. There's a point when I realize that the person I'm dating is not the same person I thought they were and I'm ready to broaden my horizons. It's something significant.

In most cases, would you say that your desire to end an exclusive relationship has less to do with boredom and more to do with identifying qualities that you don't want to live with for a lifetime?

I understand. That doesn't always work for me either. There's a point when I realize that the person I'm dating is not the same person I thought they were and I'm ready to broaden my horizons. It's something significant.

In most cases, would you say that your desire to end an exclusive relationship has less to do with boredom and more to do with identifying qualities that you don't want to live with for a lifetime?

Two things -

1. This is applicable for both friendships and more intimate relationships. If you want to open up to me about life's troubles, I'm more than happy to listen. Only a few times on the same subject, though. Any more, and I'm going into problem-solving mode, which I know is annoying. If I've given you advice, and you don't act upon it, or do something in a similar sense, further such conversations will seem like complaining, and that you're just exploiting my sympathy. That's where relationships start to head south.

2. I'd agree with that. For example, last GF I broke up with because I realized that even though she was a nice person, there just wasn't that sexual spark between us, and to keep things going would be unfair to us both.